A Cold Sweat
by yellowraccoon
Summary: Diego's new domestic life makes him start to lose his mind and it affects the herd, particularly Manny. Along the way, he unintentionally hurts another saber which leads to meeting some old faces, and forcing some dangerous and awkward situations. A/U as of the release of Ice Age 4, of course.
1. Just Another Day

**Hey everyone! I'm back and writing again! So, this is my new story and I'll need a lot of criticism to help it! (also I love attention - don't we all? :P)**

Chapter 1

**Just Another Day**

Diego's POV

A new day. My eye's opened to a cloudy, too-bright setting. The slime collected throughout the night stuck between my eyelids ruined my vision-motivating me to wipe it away. A feeling of reluctance washed over me as I escape the claws of a full nights slumber, armed only with will-power.

After that split-second of reluctance, I stood my body up. My vision blur lost intensity as my memory scanned my current setting.

Indeed, I'm in the mouth of a cave, near the peaceful village. I'm far enough away from Crash & Eddie's antics, as well as Sid's mindless stupidity, to take any care in what I do this morning. I take a dreary step outside to find the vista unfold.

A humble village surrounded by evergreens - as far as it takes to turn into a green blur. Beyond that stands the massive glaciers, on their ongoing trek. Behind them stands the foothills of distant mountains. Beyond that, haze and atmosphere steal the vision.

I look down into the village, scanning for Manny – and little Peaches, for it's her birthday, do I recall. Just 3 short years ago, I was jumping through a canyon, crawling with demons, desperately attempting to save Ellie's life. I succeeded.

Yet that very thought sent me in another direction. I succeeded there – as I failed Soto. I failed to kill a baby – as I succeeded to save one. An awkward silence occurred in my head. Failing to kill, yet succeeding to save. What kind of predator am I? My thoughts unfurl and I think of my past. Nothing stood together! I was thinking of what anyone would think of this! I was thinking if my poor dead father, bless his sole, would accept that I'm not even..." ***SMACK***!

I snap back to reality intently as an icy chill, mixed with pain, slaps my cheek. My head snaps to the source of the snowball to find both Crash and Eddie laughing hysterically at my reaction.

A bit of anger erupts within me, but actually, it's extinguished. It DID get me out of going insane...

"Tiggy-Wiggy, are you going to just stand there – or are going to have a reaction!" Crash taunted. No fear leaked from his eyes. He wanted some fun - as did Eddie.

"That's it!" **ROAR! **I bellowed, and from a cold start, I started sprinting at the possums. Yet they just started casually walking away.

"Roooouuur!" Crash mocked. He was apparently having a very good time. "_Good time - until I flank him!" _I thought with a smile.

We both picked up speed as I gained on them. Just inches away now! Closer and Closer! I lunge for them...and get a face full of snow – with the bonus of skidding about 10 feet down a hill.

"Ha!" Crash spat. He was somehow behind me. I didn't even bother to look as him and his brother. So I went to find Manny.

On the way to the playground (I guess that's where Manny is), I come across Ellie.

"Hey, Ellie!" I greet.

"Oh, good morning sleepy-head" she replied. The way she said it hinted that I DID sleep very late.

"So, have you seen Manny?" I quizzed.

"Over in the playground, with Peaches!" she exclaimed.

"OK, I'll head over there." I said, slowly walking away.

"Wait, Diego..." Ellie called

"Yeah" I replied, turning my head to meet her.

"Don't spoil Peaches birthday! She doesn't know!" Ellie said.

"Alright, just make sure you find Sid!" I joked as I walked away.

* * *

"...and, that's me. That's mommy. That's uncle Sid. There's uncle Diego. Those are Crash & Eddie, and that's you!" Manny was once again explaining his figurine to Peaches as I walked in.

"Who's that, daddy?" The little mammoth asked as she pointed to the weasel hanging below the mobile, with innocent wonder.

"Oh, that's Buck."

"Buck?" Peaches asked, sounding unsure if she ever heard of that word before.

"Do you mind if I interrupt?" I asked rhetorically.

"Diego! Glad that you could join us!" Manny said with a smile that really meant "Tell me what you want, and go watch these kids!"

"Oh, um, Manny?" I asked.

"Yes" Manny impatiently replied.

"When are we going to through the..." I looked down at a confused Peaches, who looked like she would much rather listen to daddy tell a story about an object she's seen all her life than uncle Diego talk strangly "...'you know what'"

"Oh, when the sun's highest in the sky. Be early, what do I care? But DON'T be late!" he said little below bellowing.

"Sure" I said. I started walking aimlessly into the woods for my morning hunt.

The very last I heard was: "...no, I'll tell you about Buck when your a bit older."

"Can I meet him?" a little voice squeaked.

"No...but maybe later" Manny's voice stuttered trying to keep the little girl's spirits up.

"_Haha, meet Buck! That would be something!" _A voice within my head said.

I couldn't help but agree.

**You see, I had a hard time keeping it in a tense. I'll work on it later. But 'till then, that's all!**


	2. An Unexpected Guest

**Hello everyone who happens to read this! Thank you all for your supportive reviews. Concrit is welcome, as always!**

Chapter 2

**An Unexpected Guest**

Diego's POV

After a fruitless 3 hours of hunting, I decided to head back. After all, I've caught a break recently – yet that window of opportunity slammed shut on my false sense. I guess wild berries will have to do. Again.

The sun beamed down brightly, reflecting off the icy ground – splitting my eyes from 2 different angles of late-morning sunshine. I lightly stepped through the lightly wooded forest with ease, for today, I really didn't have to accomplish anything.

I smiled to myself, and mentally organized the miniscule operations this new day gave me:

"Sid wanted to show me something, I need to do something to Crash and Eddie..." I pondered out loud "...Oh, and Peaches birthday party." I recited with a light smile...wait – that's right now!

I leaped into a sprint as the icy air stung against my flesh. Snow kicked up from my front feet, soaking my underbelly and legs with an incredibly unconformable feeling, yet that didn't stop me. Dodging tree after tree, my mind raced about what Manny would think of me being too late for his daughter's unexpected party.

I pushed on, my eyes squinting from the light snowfall off the glistening evergreens. Each heartbeat – twice the magnitude of my last one – sent new energy to my entire body. Like clockwork, my brain and my legs navigated the slick ice-fields, or rocky ruts breaking the clean ice. Accelerating through the tight forest, I was amazed where I even got this power from. 3 years ago, I was starting to feel like i'm getting up in age, and not working in a militant pack would kill me – and now, I'm speeding through the evergreens like I could 10 years ago...before met my new family.

Almost there! I could see the light of another clearing – the playground – shine through the trunks of the trees. Closer, and closer still, I started to slow down – I didn't want to smash into some unsuspecting 3 year old, or worst, Manny.

I was at a graceful trod as I entered the clearing. I was apparently on time because Manny and Ellie was still introducing themselves to other various adults – as Sid unsuccessfully tries to take control of the children. Crash and Eddie were mischievously sitting on a tall branch of the large oak tree that spread it's arms across the entire clearing. And little Peaches and a few of here close friends were playing separately from the group.

"Ah, Diego! Nice of you to join us!" Manny said with, once again, sarcasticly. I decoded his content looks and body language into a "Help! Help me start this thing and get it over with!"

_Poor Manny! _I thought to myself. He really put a lot of thought into this party. _Why do I care? It's not my kid! _Another voice popped into my subconsciousness. I did, I confess, agree to that voice a bit more.

"Uh...Everyone, can I have your attention?" Manny started. The chatter slowly quieted down. When it was silent enough, Manny continued: "So, this is my daughter, Peaches, birthday." Manny continued. A definite hint of doubt shot through his eyes. I knew as well as him that he HATES attention drawn to himself. This may have been similar to a nightmare he could have had before.

He continued for some time, but I drifted off. I was looking for something to keep me interested – other than Manny nervously lecture the impatient village about his daughter.

Yet then, my ears perked up something. Under the impatient tapping of feet, or occasional yawn, I heard a very particular sound – like if one was mashing a hunk of ice with a rock:

_chunck chunck chunck chunck_

My mind raced over what the repetitive sound, now accelerating in tempo and volume, could possibly be. My eyes shot over to Crash & Eddie, but they were just listening to Manny's awkward speech.

Now a slight vibration occurred to the din. Amazing – I got the impression that no-one else could hear it:

_Chunck Chunck Chunck Chunck_

I stared processing what it could possibly be, until I was interrupted by a trunk tapping my shoulder.

My head snapped up to find Manny.

"Diego, are you OK?" the pachyderm asked me. "You have had been standing, glazed over in the eyes, for about 10 minuets." he added.

"Do you hear that?" I asked, ignoring his question.

"What?"

" It sounds like someone's smashing the ice." I said. At first he didn't understand, but then he obviously heard it:

_CHUNCK CHUNCK CHUNCK CHUNCK...POP!_

After the VERY loud pop, a hiss erupted – like the change of pressure. Everyone was caught off guard. A few small children cried, but I now stared at a tiny hole...in the ice! All eyes were focused on that single point, and for a moment - complete silence.

My eyes staring down that seemingly non-existent hole, until another surprise occurred.

In the almost eerie silence, if a single twig dropped, it couldn't be masked from anything less than a boulder. Yet much more than a twig dropped.

A blade dissected the the hole, from the inside! My heart missed a beat! Almost everyone was taken back! Yet I still watched that hole, as the white blade sawed around the circumference – obviously scaling it up. Once it got to about 5-6" diameter, the blade jumped out.

After a few seconds of air-time, the swiveling dagger mashed it's nose into the ice, sticking up at an almost impossible angle.

Out of the now-wide hole, an orange, flexible mammal slunk out of the hole. Once my mind rendered what actually just happened, I got a good look at the thing. And I immediately recognized him. Buck.

His fur was matted and wrinkled from what looked like a lot of physical work. A few strands of grey burred around his eyes entertained my thought of how long it was since it was last time I saw him. He wore his usual eye-patch, yet around his neck, he also bore a strange neckless. Strung with a thin vine, and beaded with tiny, wooden beads – of all shapes and colors.

But before I could get a closer look, he slunk away.

From what I saw, he walked up to a particular antelope, and asked: 

"Hello there! In your travels, have you seen a small little group of misfits that call themselves a herd? Ya see, they had: 2 woolies – and a baby, a sloth, and 2 possums. Oh, and also a saber that probably has gingivitis." I couldn't comprehend WHY Buck was smelling my breath, but I didn't dare ask.

The poor antelope nervously pointed a hoof at a dazed Manny. Buck understood completely and sprinted over, but before he could make it, he was tackled to the ground by 2 happy possums. That very instant may have been a rather sweet one, but thats where the trouble began.

I watched the incident with a smile on my face, until I saw Eddie steal Buck's knife. Crash snapped up as well, and for a second, gave the most blood-curling grin I've ever seen in my life.

The very next second, Eddie thrusted the dagger into Buck's chest – obliviously killing him instantly. I stood in shock over what just happened.

Crash slid the knife out of Buck's carcass. His feet were now drenched in the blood of his once-hero. He and Eddie started walking towards a defenseless Peaches. That was it. I snapped.

**Roar! **I sprang forward. Shaking with adrenaline, I tackled Crash. I had my hands around his neck – ready to strangle him to death, when he desperately called for Eddie.

At first I thought he was trying to get more reinforcements, until I looked into his eyes. That was not the case. My claws were digging into his flesh, releasing a pool of blood on the slick ice.

I removed my hands from the now-uncontentious possum, to be looking up at Buck. Alive. Knife in hand.

It was all my imagination – and I now possibly killed Crash.

**So, how's that for a cliffhanger, aye! I hope that made an impression! Well, see you guys next update! **


	3. Teeth in the Grass

**Hi everyone! Not much to say here but...if anyone can guess what the title is from – well, nothing happens :P But you will STILL make me happy!**

Chapter 3

**Teeth in the Grass**

Diego's POV

I was sitting up, half sprawled across the earth. Wave after wave of guilt smacked my flesh and exploded over – causing a sickly too-hot feeling. I was in the center of a shocked circle. These very seconds of awkward limbo were the worst pain I possibly could have experienced. A fevered Crash unwillingly rested in a small pool of his own blood. Every eye was on me, and I prayed that someone would make some obnoxious outburst – or Manny trying to take control and expelling the party. But, no. Nothing happened.

After what felt like a good twenty minuets (although just a mere seven seconds) someone did something more than shuffle awkwardly.

Eddie sprinted out of the awestruck crowd to his fallen brother – still losing precious blood. He carried his brother over to Ellie who didn't care to even look at me. She needed to help her somewhat brother.

"Well...That complicates things!" Buck said out loud.

The outburst started nothing less than a chain-reaction until it was unintelligible of what anyone was saying.

A startled crowd turned into a scared, chaotic mob. Manny tried to stop the smaller mammals by some means of yelling, but it didn't work. Manny tried to even hold them back, but they followed through to me. I didn't have time to stand up, until I was ruthlessly trampled by some very large feet. My dignity was hanging by a thread, and someone with a pair of garden pruners was approaching. I lied atop the ground, unaware of what was going on.

In the corner of my eye, saw the small blob of people gain some order from Manny and Buck. I couldn't see Ellie or Sid, and Eddie was walking up to me with Buck's knife – Wait...Buck's knife!

I was constricted to the ground. I didn't have the mental energy to even move! The possum proceed next to me as I prayed that he would not do what I thought.

Cold revenge.

Eddie whispered in my ear: "Thank's for killing my brother." His mouth drooled with sarcasm.

Not a second to soon, the small mammal's fingers wrapped around the hilt of the knife and he thrusted the blade forward.

The portion of a second the blade broke my skin on my neck – I blacked out. I had no control over my non-existent body. I felt no pain, but I didn't physically feel as I did before. Yet I didn't get the chance to understand the non-existent world I was in, because I woke up to find that I wasn't dead, and that I just imagined that I was stabbed. Again my mentality glitched.

I stared up into the bewildered face of Buck. He shot back an expression that made me not just feel guilty, but also perked my wonder of what I just experienced.

"Hey, Tiger," He started.

I looked up and managed to sit up off the frozen ground.

"...after three days of climbin', I wind up right in the middle of Manny's little girl's birthday!"

I looked at him with a confused expression on my face. I obviously knew that he showed up during Peaches's birthday.

"The weird part is, is that out of nowhere, you try to kill Crash! Care to explain?" The weasel asked with interest.

"How long was I out?" I gruffly asked through a sore throat.

"Oh, just a few hours. Long enough for Manny to catch up with me! Oh, and also...who's Soto? You were muttering about how you failed him!"

The name struck me like a hammer. Was I really talking about him unconsciously? My mind raced and raced over again about how I couldn't even kill a baby. As my thoughts distorted I care less and less about the world around me. I could barely interpret what Buck was saying. I soon found myself fall into the back of my eyelids again.

Global POV

"Diego? Diego! DIEGO!" Buck screamed at the now sleeping saber. His muscles still felt tired from climbing a pillar of the cavern – a feat he has never attempted so far. He also felt a strange feeling of neglect. He was there for less than a minuet until Diego tried to murder Crash. The event not only sent the entire village into temporary anarchy, but it also masked his entire presence. Buck felt sorry for even Diego, but not far too strongly. Buck just guessed that something snapped within the tiger and it needed an output. All's well.

"Ah, it's cold up here!" the weasel stated to no-one in particular as he walked over to the small group of mammals that call themselves a herd.

"Buck!" Manny yelled to the stiff-with-cold weasel.

"Aye!" Buck started running to the herd, knife not dragging on the ground anymore.

He approached to find an odd sight: "Where's Crash!"

"Oh, he's awake and he's off with Eddie!" Ellie called joyously. She must be very happy to find here brother is alive and well.

"Buck!" a new voice from behind rang out.

The weasel flipped his body around to find Crash and Eddie standing atop a small hill.

"I wanna' show you something!" One of the happy possums rang out.

He immanently followed to find a small tree bent back beyond natural lengths. It was tied with a bittersweet plant vine. At first the weasel was confused until Eddie clambered up the stubby tree.

Buck read his body-language and a wry smile curled on his face. He was about to send the possum airborne until Crash interrupted him.

"Hey, why does _he _get to go first!"

"You already did it!" the other possum protested

"That didn't count! I crashed into a tree!"

"Well, I'm still doing it!" Eddie stated as Crash held back another complaint.

Before Eddie confirmed that he even _wanted_ to do this, Buck's knife snapped the vine.

Crash watched his brother disappear behind some bushes, and Buck proceeded to walk back to the informal camp.

As he reached the bottom of the ridge, he remembered a question that itched him since his talk with Diego. He walked into the edge of the group and asked:

"So, who's Soto? And, what's he doing at Half Peak!"

**Hello again everyone! Not too much of a plot point in this chapter. I guess it's just a connecting chapter. Anyway – Please leave a review! As anyone knows is that a good concrit is the best thing you can give an author! (Besides a large sum of money – that doesn't hurt that bad ether :P) **


	4. Blood of a Stranger

**Hello everyone who happens to read this! There Is really no point of saying WHY I'm updating, as many of you can see, this fanbase has been a bit slow lately. Without farther adieu, on with the chapter!**

Chapter 4

**Blood of a Stranger**

Global POV

Pavel stepped into the icy clearing . The pads of his wounded feet screamed in pain. He glanced nervously at a gathering of no less than twenty sabers quietly socializing.

"So," the lean cat that escorted him to the meeting called his attention.

"Sir," Pavel spoke timidly, trying to hide the gruff accent itching each word to escape his swollen throat. He wouldn't want to grant disrespect to his possible savior, Lenny, was his name?

"So, uh, what happened to you?" Lenny asked Pavel with lack of the pomposity that once dominated the cat's tone.

Pavel's gut plunged, and a sizzling wave of heat flashed across his tired body. He really didn't wan't to tell anyone what happened just a night ago. Yet after a brief pause, Pavel gave-in to Lenny:

"I was attacked..." Pavel let out. Instead of using his weak voice, he fully spread the words to Lenny. Before Lenny could react, though, Pavel finished. "...by some tiger that called himself Diego."

Diego's POV

The night after my first held argumentatively the most vivid of the few memorable dreams I held. Early on, thick nonsense filled the REM's original time period. I let the sleep wash over me when discussing useless topics with the leaders of a High School marching band, or stealing an aardvark's foot to help me run away from poorly written slash fan-literature.

But, deeper into the realms of the dreamscape I stepped, the more vivid the images became, until I noticed I became lucid.

A smile curled on my grin as I walked over to Manny, for I'm now in the small cave my herd keeps.

"Hi Manny!" I said to him.

"Oh, Diego, I want to show you something" Manny smiled. For not too long I pondered upon the fact that if I was even dreaming. It played so cleanly.

"Okay," I gave an impatient smile. Manny just nudged me in a direction and I followed him. Everything in the peaceful valley held a relaxed tone. The ambient light of the midday sun reflected off the pristine ice. Everything was perfect.

Manny faded away from my field of vision, yet I continued my walk. I pushed aside some long grass that impeded my rout, to find another saber.

He was rather scrawny. He was shorter than me, and far less powerful. I looked closer as he lifted his head up.

"Uh, hello." I said.

"Hi." He said back with a rather quick pace. He then smiled and finished, "Oh, I'm Pavel."

"Diego" I replied.

"Ah, Diego. You sound familiar." He said, with a slightly slower pace. I once again wondered if I had woken up. I know I'd notice much more extremely, but I almost knew this conversation was real.

"Hmm, I can't say I've heard of you before." I said while shifting my weight.

"Yes, you have." A threatening voice rang through my ears. Soto.

"Soto!" I snapped my trailing eyes back to the spot where Soto now sat.

"I've come to take my baby." The cat, now holding Peaches by the neck growled. No sooner did he say that, when a sickening snap was emitted into my hearing. Soto snapped Peaches's neck!

I knew it was a dream, but this was too much. Before he could move, I pounced on him. A loud crack snapped out of the saber's leg. A broken bone.

I clawed mercilessly, and was just about to split the twisted (now-uncontentious) tiger's jugular artery, when I woke up.

Relieved of lose the horrid dream, I sunk my head down. My eyes remained closed, until I felt a warm liquid dripping down my arms. My eyes opened in wonder, to find I was covered in the dark liquid. More and more I focused in on it, to find it was blood. Not of mine.

Panic flashed over my body. A guilty taste hung in my throat like flotsam. I quickly looked up to find I was quite a way from the cave. I must have been sleepwalking!

A puddle of blood was spilled before me, as a trail was lead to a small cliff. An obvious attempt for the poor victim to escape.

I then thought to myself. Then, a cold thought filled my mind: _What If my actions in my dream interacted with real life._ The further I thought, the more I shaped it.

If that was the case, I mauled a perfectly innocent tiger named Pavel.

Global POV

Pavel didn't get time to finish the first line of his story, when he was interrupted.

"Ah, Len, who's this?" Oscar's recognizably deep voice filled the air. "New one?"

"No, but I found him mauled at the bottom of a cliff. I brought him here because he may know the whereabouts of Diego." Lenny said with a cocky smile.

"Diego! You better tell Soto!" Oscar now said with excitement. He may finally do some real hunting finding Diego. Just that moment, Soto walked fourth.

"How am I going to run a formal meeting without my two lieutenants!" The tiger asked. It was far less than mocking. "And who's this!" Soto glanced at Pavel.

"He may know something about Diego!" Oscar interjected.

"Do you? Hope you like public speaking!" Soto laughed.

Pavel gulped. He surly wished he was just back home with Christine.

**Sorry, short chapter. As you see, I added a subplot. Please leave reviews as anyone would say!**


	5. Fear of Change

**Hello everyone! As you see, I'm updating! Don't worry, I didn't lose interest! Thank you for your reviews, and I'm looking forward to new ones! **

Chapter 5  
**Fear of Change**

Pavel's POV

The older smilodon stared into my eyes with cold anxiety. He clearly wanted to wring the distorted memories of the gruesome mauling out of my mind. I would wish it to be done also, but being impossible, that isn't the case.

"Well, you mangy pussy-cat, tell me where you were attacked!" Soto stated with intent and a trace of excitement. I had no support, or anything to back me up. I had to tell.

"Uh," I started far more timidly that my liking. "I really don't know." My voice trailed off.

"Typical." Soto scoffed under his breath. He was clearly impatient as he decided to deal with me no more. "Lenny, where did you find him?"

Lenny looked at his alpha in the eye and started: "Well, I found him at the bottom of a small cliff, about a day's worth of travailing from the end of the migration rout."

A flash of disbelief flickered across Soto's eyes, as it turned to confusion.

"But you left to find the humans! You swore that you wouldn't come back without any more intelligence! You've been gone for only ten days!" Soto was close to yelling. I knew it was better to not get involved, but a gut feeling forced me to say what was on the tip of my tongue.

"But it's been only two days walk from where I woke up and here, so he still had six days!" I stated. A sudden turn of both their heads taught me to never outburst again.

"Pavel, it's been six days since I found you." Lenny said with concern. With that fact stated, a churning feeling in my gut erupted. Thoughts of everything that occurred in those six days without me filled my fevered brain. Thoughts of Christine, my lover, dominated the space. Six days! How was that possible!

Diego's POV

I didn't even have time for my head to clear. No absence in the stress. The silhouette of Buck emerged in my hazy vision, still shocked from my actions. He closed in, clearly interested in the site.

"Oh, tiger, did ya' decide to take a...WHAT'S THAT!" The weasel clearly saw the puddle of blood I was now lying in. "Are you okay?"

I swallowed deeply, but I saw he didn't have his knife with him, so I answered. "Yeah, this is nothing..." I sounded like a coward. The stress nearly hurt. I was definitely sweating, and I could tell he was beginning to understand.

"Oh, was this why I heard a scream!" His wonder burned into something close to anger.

"Yes." I muttered.

"Who was it?"

"I guess some saber named Pavel, or that's what he said in my dream." I didn't have a scrap of dignity in my entire body.

"Can I ask you something?" The weasel started. He motioned for me to get up. I slowly tore my body away from the now-crusted blood on the hardened dirt. My muscles were stiff and sore, and the regular fear of change swept over my body. As did every time I wake.

"Why do you want to go where you almost died?" The weasel asked.

His question made no sense at all. Where I almost died? I grunted in question.

He clearly picked up the meaning, so he answered. "Ya' know, Half Peak! You've been muttering about it as long as you slept!"

Thoughts of my latter dreams echoed through my sluggish mind.

"I was muttering?" I asked like an idiot.

"You've been out for five days! I bet you must 'ave had at least one realistic dream!" Buck exclaimed.

"Five days!" I exclaimed. I didn't want to think about what happened in that time. "Oh, and my pack used to operate around Half Peak, before my leader Soto died." I immediately took that back, as to a untrained ear, it sounded like I sided with Soto.

"Manny told me the story." Buck said plainly. "You know, he's worried."

"Worried about what?" I questioned the immediate subject change.

"You! First, you tried to kill Crash, and now this! Why Diego?" Buck was almost at the point of screaming.

"I don't know!" I answered. My lip started to tremor, as my eyes started to water. I was almost at the point of pleading for Buck to leave me in peace.

"Alright. I understand." The weasel replied. With that, he started to leave.

"Wait, Buck!" I told him.

"Yeah." He replied.

"Please don't tell Manny." I asked of him. I really didn't want to think about what Manny would think of me if he found me here.

He gave me a fake solute that signified his trust.

I decided to tag-along with him back to the cave, for sitting in someone's blood was rather unappealing.

I carefully watched my step as I lazily walked to the cave. Once I reached, I found the sleeping bodies of my herd. Complete peace.

Pavel's POV

"Lenny, Oscar, come with me." Soto said. He clearly lost his patience in the awkward discussion that I just tied up. "You too."

The tiger pointed to me. I had but no other choice. I decided it would be best to follow the small pack.

Moving from my position to walking was much harder done than thought. My knee buckled under me and I fell to the ground, as waves of embarrassment splashed over me once again. Yet, I did see something. One of Soto's back legs was limping. Not like a bad bruise, but it seemed to have no feeling at all.

"So, you mangy cats, today were together for an important reason!" Soto's booming voice spat at the rest of pack, now at attention. "Over there," Soto pointed his claw at a jagged mountain in the distance. "...at Half Peak, there have been reports of humans!"

I thought I would hear a much different response. The crowd sighed and complained. I heard an audible "...his obsession never dies!" from Lenny. This was clearly old news.

"Alright! Enough!" Soto snapped, and the pack snapped back to attention. "I know this is old news, but I do have an idea where Diego is!" Soto's eyes flickered with excitement. I was confused. Who was this Diego? Why was he so important? And most of all, why did he attack me?

I wanted to shout out, or do anything, but I was too much of a coward to even raise my voice.

"Your up." Lenny told me as he walked by me from his post. I was confused at first, but I then tuned into what Soto was saying.

"...and he is going to tell you how he was attacked. Five of you are going to join my lieutenant..." That 'he' was me! I have to tell them what happened!

**So, what do you think. Concrit is welcome as always! Happy Holidays! **


	6. Easier than the Truth

**Hey Everyone! Sorry for the wait! I can't believe it's been since December! In case you're wondering, I didn't lose inspiration for the story. It was a combination of strict time schedules, school, and just plain laziness :P. Oh and also, my family doesn't know I write…at all. It proves difficult when I try to get access to a computer without anyone noticing. Anyway, I'm finally writing again. Constructive criticism (as well any other sensible reviews) are always welcome as long as you don't try to crush my feelings :P. Enjoy the chapter!**

Chapter 6

**Easier than the Truth**

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Diego's POV:

Once again I awoke in this long and tortures night. I could see faint traces of movement over the horizon out the mouth of the cave. The peak of light from the sun was bittersweet in the sense that it although ended this painful night, it brought forth a day of explaining to do. All the same, I have to get it done.

"Psss…Diego!" A voice whispered. Lost in thought, I flinched violently at the unexpected sound. I turned my body around to see Buck standing in the light from the end of the cave.

"Yeah…" I said in a still half sleeping state.

"Ugh, look at you! You lazy cat! I don't think you would have done this if you followed your instincts!" The weasel hissed with intensity. His disappointed tone shocked me, as well as the subject matter.

"Yeah Buck, what is it?" I said back to him.

"Follow me and don't wake the others." He said back with sincerity. Whatever it was, it was secret and important.

I followed him down a small ridge. The wind whistled across the ice of distant glaciers and mountains, yet the serene little valley I called home was calm and forgiving. The signs of an earlier spring filled the brisk air; the snow was already turning into fields of sludge, and water started dripping from icicles.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

Buck didn't reply but stopped in his tracks.

"Right here's fine." He finally said after a few moments. I was incredibly confused. I glanced at my surroundings in hope of a hint, and I found one; I was standing in a small pool of frozen, crusted blood. Not for to my east was a small cliff.

"Recognize this place?" The weasel said louder than I expected. I jerked my head in his direction and solemnly nodded. A chill ran down my spine the more it came back to me.

"Buck?" I asked meekly. I was confused, conflicted, and even scared.

"Of course! You don't get the subtlety at all!" He all of a sudden screamed. "Yeah, do me a favor and STOP calling me Buck!"

I was still a bit shell-shocked from the situation, but I managed to get something out. "What are you talking about?"

"Sorry I flipped out on ya', It just drives me insane when your stupid domestic life gets in the way of real life. To bad only you can see me, or else I would get someone who DIDN'T through their life away for a family to help you understand." I noticed that the weasel's strong accent was almost gone from his voice. Before I could object or even try to make any sense of what he was saying, he spoke again.

"You don't understand any of this, do you?"

"Uh, Bu…" I started, but he harshly cut me off.

"Sorry, but I don't have much time. Frankly, you made yourself too stupid to find out yourself, so I'll explain to you. I am not Buck. I don't even like that idiot, but I had no other choice for a body to choose so I chose him. I don't know why, but you can only see me as a shape of the recently dead. I didn't make up the rules, but I guess it works that way. You can think of it as a ghost… with someone else's spirit."

"I don't understand. If only I can see you, why did everyone see you at Peaches's party?" I lied and made up a false sense of wonder. I knew Buck was playing a sick joke on me, but I decided it would be fun to make him the victim.

To bad he was on top of me: "You don't believe me, do you? Well, that's your problem. You're going to regret this."

"Sure, I do believe you." I said. He obviously hinted my mockery with the discussed look on his face. I decided to purge my play. "Okay Buck, the joke is over. I have some explaining to do to Manny, and you're wasting my time."

Without a word, he walked ahead of me, blocking the most direct way out. I stopped moving, expecting him to give in, but he didn't. He simply just raised his hand into the air. When he let if fall, there was a loud crash; from a distance up the mountain came an avalanche.

"Buck! Watch out!" I yelled over the rising din. He obviously noticed, but didn't care. I jumped behind a rock in preparation for the worst. A wall of white crashed down over the small ridge, flooding the cave and trapping the herd. I looked over one last time at Buck – still standing in the open, smiling.

My body shook and my blood boiled with adrenaline. The ground trembled, and I thought my ears were deaf to all sound above the mass churning of snow crushing trees – until I heard Buck screaming quite audibly.

"Now look at this!" I twisted my head in his direction to se him holding his paws out to the mountain of snow…and stopping it completely. He froze the movement of the avalanche.

I gasped for air, and before I could even react, I noticed the entire avalanche was gone. As if it never happened.

"How…how did you do that?" I said as I trembled violently. Once again, no clear answer.

"Do what?" Buck asked with a cocky grin. I rolled my eyes and eased my growing anger of. "Oh, that? I did that the same way I did my introduction!"

"You can control what I…see?" I thought out loud, finally starting to piece it together.

"Yeah, which is ironic 'cause you're the only one that can see me." He grinned. He was obviously getting a kick out of confusing me. "Well, you wouldn't be so confused if you decided not to stay with these wimps."

I looked back at Buck, but didn't say anything. I decided it would be easier on me just to not ask how he knew that.

"Hey Tiger, I still can't believe that you thought I really was Buck for a few days! I mean, that would be weird and funny. To bad he's dead."

"What? Buck isn't dead. He just isn't with us. He lives under the ice!" I shot back slightly offended.

"Well, duh! Of course he isn't with you, dummy." He insulted. Talking to him wasn't easy. "What you don't know is that he strangled himself in some vines when he was swinging around like a monkey."

I could feel anger rising, but I feared the small creature before me; he had lots of control, and I remembered what Manny told me about being scary around his daughter.

"To scared to get offended or defensive? You truly have made a wimp of yourself! Why don't you go eat some grass with your little herbivore friends!" Buck sneered at me.

I knew what I knew, but this couldn't slide. "Hey! You listen to me! I know you can kill me in a second, but that doesn't let insult me. I should just break your little bones and smash your head into a rock! Wouldn't that be fun?" I screamed with hate. It was unlike me to do this, for Crash and Eddie were the only people in my current life that deserve this treatment, and I rarely even give to them.

Instead of any fear, recoil, or intimidation registering on his face, he just smiled. Anger boiled within me, but before I could react, he was gone.

"Hey Diego, your awake! Who're you talking to?" I looked up the snowy ridge and saw the smiling face of Ellie. I looked like I was talking to myself.

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Pavel's POV:

I approached the front of the group nervously. I passed Soto, and I was surprised to receive some sympathy from his eyes.

"Hey, just tell exactly where you were when you attacked. Can you do that, kid?" Soto helpfully told me as I walked by. I wasn't expecting him to show sympathy, but I grabbed it thankfully by returning a smile. I walked into the epicenter of the semicircle of unorganized sabers. At least sixty eyes were staring at me disapprovingly, and I squirmed uncomfortably, as I started.

"Hi. My name…name is Pavel." I was off to a bad start. I sounded like a stuttering idiot. "I was attacked by, I guess …Diego."

All of a sudden, the unorganized crowd snapped into focus. The light chatter that previously spread through the sabers was interrupted with silence. They obviously wanted to know about Diego, and now that I said it, I was even more the victim.

"I was about five days worth walking…" I started, but was interrupted by an anonymous voice "We know that already! Tell us what the place _looked _like!"

I was slightly insulted for being interrupted, but that didn't cover the thank I had for whoever told me the fasted rout off this stage.

"Well, I guess it was at the top of a small cliff. Above that was a ridge with, I think a cave." The words flowed out of my mouth naturally "It was dark, and I couldn't see much." I confessed onstage. I was about to say more, when Soto somehow made his way up to the side of me.

"Nicely done." He sarcastically muttered into my ear. He motioned for me to walk away and I gladly accepted his request.

"Now, everyone, this opportunity is rare and we have to act on it! As I said before, we have to make a small group of you to, uh, _assist_ Pavel so he doesn't run away." All the negative energy previously exhibited by Soto was replaced with new-found optimism. He was clearly excited, as was the rest of the pack – except Lenny.

"Alright, let's bring this traitor DOWN!" Soto screamed and the crowd exploded in cheers and laughter. I stood next to Lenny and Oscar. Oscar hooted and stomped on the ground, but Lenny just muttered to himself.

"Those idiotic pigs want to waste their time and power chasing an old grudge." Lenny spoke to me. I shot my head around and he nodded. "Half of them don't even know what they're yelling about. They're exited for just _doing_ something!" Lenny exclaimed.

"What's wrong with that?" I asked him above the now-dying din.

"Oh, actually there are a number of reasons!" Lenny said dryly. "First of all, Soto has been spineless and weak ever since Diego left. I'd understand a little, for in those two weeks we lost half our power. He also came so close to death, I was surprised he was even going to continue the pack if made it out. But now, five years later, he is still sticking to grudges! Another thing, is that the wolves's new rule about hunting will get us all killed if we aren't strong enough to hold them off. This was never a problem, but it is now. The only thing that keeps us from being shredded by every wolf and vulture out there is their own corruption."

Now I was completely confused. I knew about this new rule, and Christine and I avoided it by not eating meat at all. What confused me was that Lenny said the wolves were corrupt. I dealt with them and befriended a few, and it seems they run a very diligent, secure organization.

"Pavel? Is that really you again?" I looked up and saw a smiling face. Distant memories came back to me and I pieced it together.

"Aaron?" I questioned the new saber.

"Yeah! It is you! Good to see ya', man! It's been forever!" Aaron's face lit up and I started to remember more about him. I smiled at finding my old friend again.

"So how did you get here?" I asked him

"Well, do you remember that girl Christine?" he started.

"Yeah, me and Christine live together and are on the edge of becoming mates." I replied with a smile.

"Wow! How did you do it!" he was clearly surprised. "We used to be close, but she decided not to like me one day, so I did what every other unsuccessful saber does and joined a pack. How do you manage to stay with her?"

"Aaron, first of all, you have to respect a woman to get respect from her. Second, if she asks to talk to you about something important, listen! And most importantly…don't act like the way you normally do around woman!" I laughed. It felt like we were cubs again. Aaron and I were closer friend than I expected, but I never thought of him dating Christine.

"You two! Stop talking and listen!" I looked up to find Lenny scolding us, and Soto was in the center of the clearing again.

I couldn't hear over the chatter, but it soon came through. I finally heard Soto' address, but I only caught a brief phrase;"…and we leave at dawn!".

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**Hey guys! So how did you like it? Sorry about all the OCs, but tit will make sense later. This is more of a transition chapter, but I have a few things up my sleeve for later chapters. Please just leave a review, may it be long and specific, or as simple as a little notification that you read it! Well, see you all later!**


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